Smart play is trading down because ‘the first pick in the draft is the loser’s curse’

By Dan McGrawApr 20, 2017
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Let's get right to the point. The reason the Browns stink in the fall is because they stink in the spring. We’re talking about the NFL Draft here, and how the Browns have been dismal at picking players since they came back in 1999, worse than, perhaps, any other team in the league.

If you go back and look at whom the Browns have drafted since they came back in the league (with a 43-0 loss to the Steelers to get things started), they have had 21 first-round picks. Offensive tackle Joe Thomas has been very good, and cornerback Joe Haden has been above average. The rest have been guys like Brandon Weeden and Justin Gilbert and Trent Richardson, one after another. We don’t need to get into Johnny Manziel here, and all that he entails.

So why are the Browns so bad at this? Or perhaps, how can they get better.

There are two schools of thought.

The first is the obvious. Having poor scouting and a poor understanding of who are good college players...

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